Reverse sexism

[nirak]

well, it's really sexism either way, so I don't really know why I put the "reverse" in there.

ahem.

Anyway, my boyfriend used to have long hair. he had to cut it off for a job. Now he'd like to grow it long again, but his job now dictates that he can't grow his hair past shoulder lenth or soemthing like that.

I find this so ridiculous.

It's not like he's seen by the public, but even if he was, isn't that unfair? of course- girls can have long hair. Most girls would throw a fit if they were asked to cut their hair off for a job, but I know tons of guys that have done it.

:P

anyway, that's my thread, add to it.

-k

[Phill]

Could it be because he works around food? Just a though, although if women have long hair in the kitchen, he might have a valid argument.

When I had long hair waaay back when, people always gave me looks. (Suburbia Long Island) When I was considering Teaching, I was urged to cut my hair, because no school whould hire someone with long hair. Or at least, it would have been very difficult.

[nirak]

oh, yeah, the women have long hair. and actually, it's better to have long hair and tie it back- short hair falls out easier.

It's dumb.

And I never understood why someone would look down on a guy with long hair- it's JUST HAIR!

:P again. I like long hair, especially on guys (but not on me- at least, I don't have the patience to grow it out)

-k

[dozey]

I notice a lot of sexism towards men in ads actually. In Australia a little while back there was a big deal made out of an advert for Coke which had a male construction worker doing his thing outside an office building right, and a whole bunch of women would gather for lunch and get all steamed up perving at him. Y'know he had the tone body, the abs, the long hair, sweat, tan, smile etc., he looked like a Ken doll right, and then they go get a Coke b/c they're so steamed up. Anyway, they'd just pulled an ad for shoes or something b/c it was considered sexist.

It is unfair that men have to cut their hair. Apparently men with long hair are found intimidating or something! Whatever.

[nirak]

I remember that ad! yeah- if roles were reversed on THAT, women would be screaming bloody murder.

Course, a lot of ads aren't THAT far away from it anyway (Victoria's secret comercials- "Desire is wanting something you can't have" - ugh)

Guys also can't paint their nails most places- while girls can.

-k

[Samantha]

Regarding the Coke commercial and it's reverse, a group of men looking at a scantily clad woman: that scene is played out in practically every beer commercial without frogs and women aren't exactly storming the palace...

A friend of mine who was a cook at Pizza Hut was not allowed to paint her nails because of the fear of paint chips falling off into the food.

[Martin]

no one has mentioned the obvious. get a different job where he can grow his hair as long as he wants to.

Like it or not, society in general considers good grooming for men to include short(ish) hair. This is because of the long-standing image portrayed in film, TV etc where long-haried men men are generally druggies, bikers, rabblerousers in general. It's not a sexist thing.

[nirak]

<i>get a different job where he can grow his hair as long as he wants to. </i>

easy to say.

This is the only job in food service here that he's found that offers benefits- he's been without health insurance for years.

When it comes to that and long hair- I prefer his health.

Like I said, I can understand it if he's actually going to be seen by customers- maybe.

It sounds just as bad to me if an employer said "all female employees must wear skirts or dresses" It's not just good grooming. You can be well groomed and have long hair, and you can be a slob with short hair. It's emphasizing the break between masculinity and feminity, that's really what I don't like. Such as- to be masculine, to be a real man, you must do this and this and this, and to be a real woman, you must do this and this and this. I don't like that at all.

glad the forum's back

-k

[Samantha]

Remember that American Airlines stewardess who was fired because she didn't want to wear makeup? She lost her lawsuit.

[nirak]

yup. and ed would probably lose if he protested the hair cutting bit :P They also try and make him shave every day- which is painful for him, his facial hair grows thick and fast- he shaves every other day and still gets yelled at. :P

dumb workplaces.

-k

[Cam]

As far as the shaving goes, he should see a dermatologist about that. If he tells him that he shouldn't shave every day then work should cut him some slack. That's how I used to get away with growing a beard out every now and then.

[BudWiserFrog]

Originally posted by Samantha
Remember that American Airlines stewardess who was fired because she didn't want to wear makeup? She lost her lawsuit.

<img src="http://home.beseen.com/belief/jcldragon/icons/bwf.gif" align="left"><font color=green size=3><strong> um That's Flight Attendant, not stewardess....

[frangipanigirl]

Every job my boyfriend has had for the past 5 years has not permitted him to waer his earrings. He just has two little teeny gold hoops and he had to take them out for EVERY shift. These jobs were in furniture warehouses, call centres and grocery stores. Now he works for the Department of Justice and they aren't all caught up in the earrings scene.

It was weird though cuz some of the girls he worked with at each of these other places had like 8 holes per ear. He was told that he couldn't wear earrings cuz the 'elderly' customers might get upset because they're more conservative about such things (well except for at the call centre, they told him there that an earring was "unprofessional"). I know several elderly people who would be more alarmed by a girl with 24 earrings sticking out of every space on her ear than a guy with one.

People really need to get over the preoccupation with stuff like this when health standards aren't the reasoning behind the rules. Did the major grocery store where my boyfriend once worked *really* think that old people were going to stop buying groceries there cuz they saw a stock boy with a little earring? I for one would NEVER stop doing business with a company or store (whatever) based on the physical appearance of an employee (well, unless they were filthy and smelled gross or something). I would never think I had any business dictating exactly how other people should look!

[Phill]

You know Disney wouldn't hire anyone who A: had any piercings, and B: had any facial hair. I'm sure they had other limitations too the facist bastards.

That is too fucking wierd, especially considering mr disney himself had a mustach.

[nirak]

At Disney-

Men (even the guys that sweep the streets) - no facial hair. No highlights or hair coloring of any kind- that is, if you can tell it's been dyed. Hair must be short (and they have exacting standars as to how long it too long and exactly HOW you can get your hair cut) no makup of any kind, except for show peopel and face characters. They can fire you- or will try to- for behavior outside of work, and uttering a single cuss word is enough to get you fired.

Women- preferably long hair. They don't come out and say this directly, but they certainly imply it. they want women to be feminine. They encourage makeup, but not too much, and only natural colors. No blue eye shadow, for instance. Althoguh you can do something and show it to a manager to be approved. No shaved heads, and they REALLY frown on women not shaving their legs or pits, thoguh there's nothing in the actual dress code about it. Nail polish must be of a natural color- pinks, corals, not BRIGHT red.

um... what else?

The face characters have and even higher standard, as do the plainclothes people. The plainclothes peopel are peopelt hat they pay to walk around the park- as if they were tourists, go on the rides, display products, eat the food, and be friendly to as many people as possible. How's that for a job?

I knew a lot of people that worked at Disney :P (My ex boyfriend is now the jungle cruise ride operator- haha!)

-k

-k